Okay, just got a quickie post to close out the week here at The Bits, as I’m hard at work on more new disc reviews. Among the titles I’m working are Kubo and the Two Strings and UFO: The Complete Series on Blu-ray (the latter being a Region B title), and also Suicide Squad, Morgan, and The Magnificent Seven in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format. So watch this space over the next week or so for my thoughts on those.

In announcement news today, Lionsgate has officially confirmed their 2/7 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of John Wick. Extras will include audio commentary with filmmakers Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, as well as 6 featurettes (Don’t F*#% with John Wick, Calling in the Cavalry, Destiny of a Collective, Assassin’s Code, Red Circle, and NYC Noir).

Paramount is releasing Broad City: Season Three on DVD only on 1/10.

Speaking of Blue Underground, the company has set a single-disc version of Venom for BD release on 2/28.

Arrow Video UK has announced its March slate, which includes Takashi Miike’s Dead or Alive Trilogy (3/13), House: The Complete Collection (3/20), Death Walks on High Heels (3/27), Death Walks at Midnight (3/27), and Juan Piquer Simón’s Pieces: Limited Edition (3/27).

BBC Home Entertainment has set the Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio Christmas special for BD and DVD release on 2/21, with the animated Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks due on DVD only on 1/31.

Finally, the Warner Archive has announced the forthcoming Blu-ray release of Terence Young’s Wait Until Dark (1967) and John Sturges’ Bad Day at Black Rock (1955). The former is due in early 2017, the latter in January. Very cool news indeed.

That’s all for this week. Have a great weekend and we’ll see you back here on Monday. Just remember, folks... less than one week to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Peace out!

Now then... in announcement news today, CBS and Showtime have set Penny Dreadful: The Complete Series for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/7.

Shout! Factory has set Rémi Chayé’s French-Danish animated film Long Way North for Blu-ray/DVD Combo and DVD release on 1/17. Extras will include the Conceptual pilot, a behind-the-scenes featurette, interviews with the director and producer Henri Magalon, still galleries, and animated storyboards.

For music fans, Bad Seed Limited will release Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: One More Time with Feeling on 2-disc Blu-ray on 3/3

Magnolia has set Officer Downe for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/28.

Acorn Media will release Deep Water on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/14.

HBO will release Ballers: The Complete Second Season on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/31.

Mill Creek Entertainment will release Band of the Hand (1986) on Blu-ray on 1/10.

Arrow Video USA will release a Creepshow 2: Special Edition on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/13.

Kino Lorber has announced that Anthony Simmons’ The Optimists (1973) is coming soon to Blu-ray and DVD, starring Peter Sellers. They’re also working on new Blu-rays of Delmer Daves’ Broken Arrow (1950), Lawrence Schiller’s The Executioner’s Song (1982), with both the Director’s Cut and Television Cut of the film, and Howard Hawks’ Red Line 7000 (1965). The company has also set Certain Fury (1985) for Blu-ray and DVD release on 2/21.

And here’s something fun: Scream Factory has just announced the 3/21 Blu-ray release of a RoboCop 2: Collector’s Edition and a RoboCop 3: Collector’s Edition! Details will be announced soon. Also coming from Scream is a Stephen King’s Firestarter: Collector’s Edition Blu-ray on 3/14.

In other news, The Film Arcade has signed a distribution deal with Universal for theatrical and home video releases.

Finally this evening, if you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli, Spirited Away is playing tonight in many theaters around the country in Japanese English subtitles, and again on Thursday in dubbed English. Then on 1/5 (which just happens to be director Hayao Miyazaki’s birthday), Princess Mononoke returns to theaters in Japanese with English subtitles and again on 1/9 in dubbed English. Both are extraordinary animated films, so if you’ve never seen them, be sure to give them a look. Even if you’re a fan, the chance to see these film on the big screen is rare indeed. You can learn more at GKids.com.

We’ll leave you with a look at the Blu-ray cover art for a number of the titles mentioned above (with Amazon links if available – the Scream titles link to the Scream website until Amazon links are live)…

We here at The Digital Bits are big fans of Shout!’s Scream Factory division and, not unlike Todd Doogan’s Criterion Spines Project, we wanted to cover Scream Factory’s releases by catching up on a bunch that we’ve missed while acknowledging the previous ones. We’ll also be covering new ones here as well. This column will go up on a bi-weekly basis, so be sure to check back in another two weeks for another pile of Scream Factory goodness.

First up is a double feature of Tales from the Crypt and Vault of Horror, both terrific horror anthologies. Tales from the Crypt in particular contains one of the creepiest and more effective Christmas horror stories. Speaking of Christmas, new on the slate is a Collector’s Edition of Black Christmas, a title long sought after by Scream Factory fans and one that I believe many will feel was worth the wait. Also new on the chopping block is Jack’s Back, a great little thriller mostly forgotten by genre fans. Next is George A. Romero’s Monkey Shines, one of his most enjoyable non-Dead movies. And last but not least is a double feature of TerrorVision and The Video Dead, one of Scream Factory’s earliest releases and still one of their most fun. [Read on here…]

While you’re at it, if you see something you like, why don’t you purchase it through the Amazon links that we’ve provided in each review? A portion of anything that you order from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits, and we really do appreciate your support.

Now then... we have some good Blu-ray announcement news for you guys today...

First up, Universal has announced a new King Kong: Ultimate Edition Blu-ray for release on 2/7 (SRP $19.98). It’s a 3-disc set that will include 2 Blu-rays and a DVD, plus a Digital HD copy. The release will include both the theatrical and extended versions of the film, along with over 13 hours of bonus content. You’ll get the full-length Recreating the Eighth Wonder: The Making of King Kong documentary, all of director Peter Jackson’s Production Diaries, nearly 3 hours’ worth of Post Production Diaries, 30 minutes of Deleted Scenes with an introduction by Jackson, 7 featurettes (The Eighth Blunder of the World, The Making of a Shot: The T-Rex Fight, Skull Island: A Natural History, Kong’s New York, 1933, A Night in Vaudeville, King Kong Homage, Pre-Visualization Animatics), and more. Sounds like this is essentially the long-awaited Blu-ray upgrade of the previous (and amazingly comprehensive) DVD box set. Perhaps a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release will follow when King Kong: Skull Island arrives in theaters and on disc next year.

CBS and Paramount have set Star Trek: Enterprise – The Complete Series for Blu-ray release on 2/14 (SRP $117). There’s no new special feature content, but you’ll finally be able to own the complete series in a single package. A DVD version is also being released earlier, on 1/10 (SRP $89.98 but it’s available for pre-order on Amazon for just $50 at the moment). I really wish the powers that be had cared this much about the show when it was still on the air. Anyway...

Lionsgate will release American Pastoral on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/7.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing a brand new Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: 50th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/7.

Any fans of the BBC’s Sherlock out there? Well, look for them to release Sherlock: Season Four on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/24 (SRP $39.98 and $29.98).

Mill Creek Entertainment is releasing Glitter on Blu-ray on 1/3.

And here’s something cool: Shout! Factory has announced a new Shout Select title for release on Blu-ray next year: a Red Dawn: Collector’s Edition! Street date is TBA.

In announcement news today, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has set Masterminds for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/31, with a Digital HD release due on 1/17.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has set Bryan Bertino’s The Monster for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/24. Extras will include the Eyes in the Darkness featurette. The studio also has Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life coming on both formats on 1/3.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has set Fuller House: The Complete First Season for DVD only release on 2/28 (SRP $24.98). It’s now available in Digital HD via Netflix and other streaming services.

Flicker Alley has set Irvin V. Willat’s restored Behind the Door (1919) for release on Blu-ray/DVD Combo format on 4/4. Extras will include the Russian version of the film, outtakes, a slideshow gallery, the Restoring Irvin Willat’s Behind the Door featurette, and a booklet.

The Film Detective will release the documentary The Man Who Skied Down Everest on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/13.

And on the digital-only front, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is making the complete Pedro Almódovar film library available on iTunes starting today, nine of which are available in HD for the first time.

]]>billhunt@thedigitalbits.com (Bill Hunt)My Two CentsTue, 29 Nov 2016 16:42:15 -0800Birth of a Nation, October Sky, It Came from Outer Space 3D, Pinocchio & Happy Thanksgiving from The Bits!http://www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/112316_1630
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/112316_1630

All right, this is going to be our last regular post until Monday, though we will be back on Friday to let you know about any great Blu-ray or 4K deals worth mentioning. But we do have a few things for you...

In release news today, it appears that 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s The Birth of a Nation will now street on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release on 1/10.

And Universal Studios Home Entertainment has set October Sky, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, and It Came from Outer Space for Blu-ray release on 2/14. These have been Best Buy exclusives up to now. Note that It Came from Outer Space includes both 2D and Blu-ray 3D on the same disc. You can see the cover artwork below.

Also, Disney’s Pinocchio: Walt Disney Signature Collection Blu-ray is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Here’s a look at the cover artwork for all of the above (click on the covers to pre-order each on Amazon)...

And that’s all for this week. We’d like to take a moment to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels as you head out to be with family and friends! We’ll see you back here on Friday. Eat lots of good food and watch lots of great movies. Peace out!

We here at The Digital Bits are big fans of Shout!’s Scream Factory division and, not unlike Todd Doogan’s Criterion Spines Project, we wanted to cover Scream Factory’s releases by catching up on a bunch that we’ve missed while acknowledging the previous ones. We’ll also be covering new ones here as well. This column will go up on a bi-weekly basis, so be sure to check back in another two weeks for another pile of Scream Factory goodness.

First up is Beneath, a Larry Fessenden giant fish movie that I’m actually a little less hard on than I was when I originally wrote the review. Today, I’d probably give it more of a B or a B- as it’s grown on me since then. New to Blu-ray this week are both Rabid and Dead Ringers, a pair of David Cronenberg movies that are stacked with some great extras worth digging into. Also new, at least as far as catching up with older Scream Factory titles is concerned, is The Monkey’s Paw, a Chiller movie that actually has some merit. And last but not least, Paul Schrader’s terrific remake of Cat People. [Read on here…]

While you’re at it, if you see something you like, why don’t you purchase it through the Amazon links that we’ve provided in each review? A portion of anything that you order from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits, and we really do appreciate your support.

In announcement news today, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has set The Girl on the Train for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on 1/17, with a Digital HD release due on 1/3. Bonus features will include audio commentary with director Tate Taylor, deleted and extended scenes, and 2 documentary featurettes (The Women Behind the Girl and On Board the Train). [Read on here…]

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced Homeland: The Complete Fifth Season for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/10. Extras will include 2 featurettes (The Evolution of Carrie Mathison and Homeland in Berlin: Beyond the Wall).

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC have announced the 2/7 Blu-ray and DVD release of the animated Justice League Dark feature film. You’ll be able to buy a Digital HD version on 1/24.

Well Go USA Entertainment has set The Monkey King 2 for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/2, with the Digital release set for 12/6.

And Olive Films has announced that its January 2017 slate will include Hooperman: Season 1 and Hooperman: Season 2 on DVD only, along with Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!, Sabotage, The Men’s Club, and Wagon Tracks all on both Blu-ray and DVD. Street date for all is 1/24.

Also today, Paramount has confirmed (via Amazon pre-order listings) that one their next 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray releases will be Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival. Street date is TBA, but you can see the temp cover artwork below.

We here at The Digital Bits are big fans of Shout!’s Scream Factory division and, not unlike Todd Doogan’s Criterion Spines Project, we wanted to cover Scream Factory’s releases by catching up on a bunch that we’ve missed while acknowledging the previous ones. We’ll also be covering new ones here as well. This column will go up on a bi-weekly basis, so be sure to check back in another two weeks for another pile of Scream Factory goodness.

First up is Escape from New York, a title that Bill covered sometime ago. It’s a solid release with a great transfer and extras, and just happens to be one of my favorite movies. New to Blu-ray this week is Bubba Ho-Tep, another personal favorite of mine, with a barrage of terrific extras to check out. Following that up is the great Amityville Horror Trilogy boxed set, which is another older review, but this time from good old Dr. Jahnke. Also new to the chopping block is the Blacula/Scream Blacula Scream double feature Blu-ray release. And last but not least, Wes Craven’s Deadly Blessing, one of Scream Factory’s very first releases. [Read on here…]

While you’re at it, if you see something you like, why don’t you purchase it through the Amazon links that we’ve provided in each review? A portion of anything that you order from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits, and we really do appreciate your support.

And in announcement news today, Well Go USA Entertainment has just officially set Phantasm: Remastered and Phantasm: Ravager for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/6. Phantasm: Remastered will include audio commentary with director Don Coscarelli and cast members Michael Baldwin, Angus Scrimm, & Bill Thornbury, the Graveyard Cars featurette, vintage interviews from 1979 with Don Coscarelli and Angus Scrimm, and deleted scenes. Phantasm: Ravager will include audio commentary with director David Hartman and writer/producer Don Coscarelli, 5 featurettes (Behind the Scenes, Giant Dwarf, Escape from Dawn’s Cabin, Cuda vs Sphere, and Phuntasm: Bloopers & Outtakes), plus deleted scenes. SRP is $29.98 and $24.98 each for Blu-ray and DVD respectively. Click on the cover artwork below to pre-order each from Amazon.com...

As you can see, we also included the cover artwork for David and Bathsheba (1951), which is coming on 1/10/17 from Kino Lorber (we’ll add the Amazon link as soon as it’s available).

That’s all for now. Back tomorrow with more new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray reviews. Happy Halloween!

There should be something for everyone in that batch, so we hope you enjoy them! Be sure to check back on Monday for more 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray reviews, as well as a new History, Legacy & Showmanship column from our own Michael Coate for a title that… well, let me give you a clue…

I hope you’re all enjoying your various Halloween marathons, parties, and other activities. I’ve been busy getting a lot of reviews ready as this has been a heavy couple of months for horror releases, as I’m sure you already know. I know I won’t get to all of it before the month is out, but I’ll get to as many of them as I can. I have some good titles lined up for the rest of this week and, hopefully, we won’t have a repeat of Friday and we can stay on schedule.

This week I’ll be checking out several new titles from Scream Factory, Lionsgate, Arrow Video, and Warner Bros. As usual, we’ll be rolling each review out one at a time all week, so be sure to check back for new ones.

While you’re at it, if you see something you like, why don’t you purchase it through the Amazon links that we’ve provided in each review? A portion of anything that you order from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits, and we really do appreciate your support.

That’s all from me for this week, so see you next time and enjoy the reviews!

Meanwhile, know that I’m going to be spending the next few days working my way through a stack of new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and regular Blu-rays in order to post reviews here on The Bits, including some major 3rd and 4th quarter releases. And yes… you can expect that Disney’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D – Collector’s Edition will be among them. So keep checking back for those as I knock them out. [Read on here…]

We’ve got some great announcement news for you today...

First, our friends at Kino Lorber have revealed that they’re going to be releasing the Coen Brothers’ Barton Fink (1991) on Blu-ray and DVD soon! Now if we can just get The Ladykillers (2004) on Blu-ray, I think that’s the complete Coen oeuvre.

It appears Kino has also gotten the rights to release The Wanderers (1979) and Josef von Sternberg’s final film Anatahan (1953) on Blu-ray and DVD too in the coming months, as they’re returning the films to theaters for a limited time in a new 2K restoration. Other Kino titles to look forward to include ZPG (Zero Population Growth) (1971) on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/3/17, The Good Son (1993) on Blu-ray (TBA), and Cyborg 2087 (1966), Dimension 5 (1966), and 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) on Blu-ray and DVD (TBA).

The Warner Archive has just revealed that they’re working on new Blu-ray editions of The Goodbye Girl (1977) and Time After Time (1979), each released with a new HD remaster of the film.

A company called Shriek Show has apparently gotten the rights to release Al Adamson’s Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971) on Blu-ray on 12/13. From the Amazon listing, “The special edition Blu-ray includes an audio commentary by writer/producer Sam Sherman, a documentary on Independent International Pictures, a rare alternate ending, deleted scenes, a deleted scene with Famous Monsters editor Forrest J Ackerman and Dracula, rare 8mm movie location footage, the original theatrical trailer, TV spot and an extensive photo gallery.” You can see the cover artwork below.

Shout! Factory has announced the DVD release of Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXXVII on 11/22, featuring the previously unreleased episodes The Human Duplicators, Escape 2000, The Horror of Party Beach, and Invasion of the Neptune Men, plus extras.

Lionsgate has set the CG-animated The Wild Life for Blu-ray Combo and DVD release on 11/29. They also have Jackie Chan Presents: Amnesia coming on DVD and Digital HD on 1/3/17, followed by The Whole Truth (starring Keanu Reeves and Renee Zellweger) on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on 1/17/17.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is releasing Scream Queens: The Complete First Season on DVD on 12/6.

And for you U.K. readers, Eureka has set Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Creepy for Blu-ray/DVD Combo release on 23/1/17.

We’ll leave you with a look at the Blu-ray cover artwork for a few of the titles mentioned above (click on the covers to pre-order them on Amazon.com)…

In announcement news today, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has set the release of Morgan on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray formats for 12/13.

Whoever wins the World Series, you’ll be able to buy Major League Baseball: 2016 World Series Collector’s Edition from Shout! Factory on 12/13.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has set 12 Monkeys: Season Two for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/17/17. The studio has also set Battleship (2012) for release on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format that same day. Here’s hoping they’re considering Apollo 13 for 4K.

Broadgreen Entertainment has set The Dressmaker for Blu-ray and DVD release on 12/27, starring Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, and Hugo Weaving.

And Lionsgate will release Rob Zombie’s 31 on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/20.

Also today, if you’re an Xbox One S user who wants to dive more in to the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format, here’s good news: Engadget has confirmed that Microsoft is adding Dolby Atmos playback (via bitstream) to the console in a future free firmware update. There’s no word yet about DTS:X, but one would think that’s possible too and could happen at some point.

We’ll leave you with a look at the Blu-ray and 4K cover artwork for a few of the titles mentioned above and more (click on each to pre-order them on Amazon.com)...

After Friday’s web issues (which continued yesterday), we’re back with a normal daily news post here at The Bits and also some new disc reviews. But we’re going to be doing some additional work all this week to try and make some improvements to the server. So updates over the next few days may be a little spotty. However, we’re working on lots of new disc reviews, including Independence Day: Resurgence and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on 4K Ultra HD which we hope to post later this week. [Read on here…]

This is interesting: It appears that 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is finally going back and releasing the early seasons of Prison Break on Blu-ray on 12/6 (specifically 1, 2, 3, and 4 - click the links to pre-order).

Well Go USA has set Phantasm: Ravager for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/6.

And Paramount’s Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is now available for pre-order on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format. Street date is TBA.

Here’s a look at some Blu-ray cover artwork for a few of the titles mentioned above and more…

More Halloween goodness on the way. This past week, we finally managed to get up all of our decorations, which was a huge job, both inside and outside the house. We’ve also been watching a ton of Halloween-related movies, like I’m sure most of you have. It’s certainly more appealing than keeping up with the current election, that’s for sure.

Anyways, don’t forget that both Turner Classic Movies and IFC are showing a ton of great horror movies this month. Not to be outdone, you may want to check out what AMC is doing this month as well. There’s certainly plenty of options in the horror department.

While you’re at it, if you see something you like, why don’t you purchase it through the Amazon links that we’ve provided in each review? A portion of anything that you order from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits, and we really do appreciate your support.

That’s all from me for this week, so see you next time and enjoy the reviews!

In announcement news today, Universal has set Oliver Stone’s Snowden for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/20. No word yet of a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release.

Universal will also release Mr. Robot: Season Two on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/10 (SRP $49.98 and $44.98). Extras will include deleted scenes and a pair of featurettes (named as files: Careful.Massacre.of.the.Bourgeoisie.1984-VHSrip.mp4 and Behind_The_Mask_Mr_Robot_2.0.mov).

The Cohen Media Group has set Kent Jones’ Hitchcock/Truffaut documentary for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/20. Extras will include 5 featurettes (Q&A with Kent Jones & Noah Baumbach, An Appreciation of Notorious, Peter Bogdanovich Remembers Hitchcock, Richard Linklater on Truffaut, and Rope: Pro and Con).

Paramount’s Ben-Hur (2016) remake is available for Blu-ray and DVD pre-order on Amazon with a street date of 12/13. Again, no word of a 4K release yet.

Paramount has also set Florence Foster Jenkins for Blu-ray and DVD release on 12/13.

Cinedigm will release Stagecoach: The Texas Jack Story on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/13.

Shout! Factory has set Dead of Winter for Blu-ray release on 1/10.

Anchor Bay will release Larry Charles’ Army of One on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/15.

Image Entertainment has set a double feature of Crystal Lake Memories and Never Sleep Again for Blu-ray release on 1/10 as well.

Arrow Video has set Takashi Miike’s Black Society Trilogy (includes Shinjuku Triad Society, Rainy Dog, and Ley Lines) for 2-disc Special Edition release on Blu-ray on 1/17 (SRP $49.95). You’ll get new HD transfers of all three films, with original uncompressed PCM stereo audio and optional English subtitles. Extras will include new interviews with director Takashi Miike and actor Show Aikawa, new audio commentaries for all three films by Miike biographer Tom Mes, original theatrical trailers for all three films, and reversible sleeve packaging featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon. The first pressing will also include an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the films.

While we don’t have a street date yet, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has already set Gavin O’Connor’s The Accountant for pre-order on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray formats on Amazon.

Also coming soon from Kino Lorber are J. Lee Thompson’s What a Way to Go! (1964), Henry Koster’s No Highway in the Sky (1951), Henry King’s Prince of Foxes (1949), Paul Wendkos’ The Mephisto Waltz (1971), Allan Dwan’s Zaza (1923), and William Witney’s Sunset in the West (1950). And they’ve set Loophole (1981), Who? (1975), Stryker (1983), and The Internecine Project (1974) for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/3, followed by Scavenger Hunt (1979), David and Bathsheba (1951), and The Unholy Four (1970) for 1/10.

Finally today, we’ve learned from Kino Lorber that they’re working on a long-awaited new Blu-ray release of Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat (1944), featuring a new audio commentary by film historian Tim Lucas, audio commentary by film professor Drew Casper, The Making of Lifeboat featurette, and an animated montage of images.

Here’s a look at the Blu-ray cover artwork for some of the titles listed above (click on each to pre-order them on Amazon.com)...

Today’s update is quick one, as we’re doing a lot of disc review work here this week.

To wit... our own Tim Salmons has just checked in with his thoughts on Shout! and Scream Factory’s new limited edition Blu-ray titles, including Message from Space, The Velvet Vampire, and Time Walker. They’re only available from the Shout! website and are limited to 1,000 copies each. Do give the reviews a look. Message from Space in particularly is worth your time. [Read on here…]

Also today, we’ve got a look for you at the final cover artwork for Universal’s upcoming Bourne catalog films in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format, as well as the final U.S. art for Sony’s newly-announced Underworld and Resident Evil: Afterlife on the format (see below). Don’t forget that you can click on each cover to pre-order the title on Amazon.com (and doing so helps to support our work here at The Bits, which we appreciate!)...

In December, you’ll get Stardust Memories (1980), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), The Barefoot Contessa (1954), The Keys of the Kingdom (1944), The Three Worlds of Gulliver (1960), and The Bullet Train (1975) all on 12/13.

Kicking off 2017, January will bring Stanley and Iris (1990), Comes a Horseman (1978), Two for the Road (1967), and The Mad Magician 3D (1954 – also includes Pardon My Backfire 3D (1953) and Spooks 3D (1953) in the same package) all on 1/17.

And in February, Twilight will deliver Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979), Interiors (1978), Kiss of Death (1947), and Edge of Eternity (1959) all on 2/14.

Also today, we’re hearing reports that a few people have actually gotten copies of The Thing: Collector’s Edition with the defective audio mix (see our review here). Guess a few slipped through. No worries though – if you’ve gotten one, contact Shout! Factory (via the e-mail form at this link) and they’ll exchange it for a good copy. The way to identify the defective version is that, during the testing scene, the creature screams a few seconds before MacReady puts the heated wire into the petri dish.

Now then, here’s a look at some new cover artwork, including all of the Criterion January Blu-ray titles, as well as a couple of Warner’s newly-announced 4K releases (click on the image links to pre-order them all on Amazon.com)…

Whew. Lemme tell ya. I love Halloween, but it wears me out every year. There’s so much going on, including tons of reviews for the site, that it’s difficult to keep track of it all and still be standing at the end of the day. And unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the Young Frankenstein screening that I mentioned last week as it was sold out, but I may or may not try to attend the encore presentation of it. We’ll see.

Also, I mentioned last week that Turner Classic Movies is showing a ton of great horror movies this month, but you may also want to check out IFC’s schedule. They have some great old B-movie from the 1950s and 1960s that they’re airing regularly, every morning. Definitely something worth putting on while having your coffee if you’re a horror fan.

This week I’ll be checking out several new titles from Scream Factory, Warner Bros, and an oldie, but a goodie, from Vinegar Syndrome. As usual, we’ll be rolling each review out one at a time all week, so be sure to check back for new ones.

While you’re at it, if you see something you like, why don’t you purchase it through the Amazon links that we’ve provided in each review? A portion of anything that you order from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits, and we really do appreciate your support.

That’s all from me for this week, so see you next time and enjoy the reviews!

We start with Disney, which has just set the live action Pete’s Dragon for release on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD, and Disney Movies Anywhere on 11/29. There’s no Blu-ray 3D version announced, which probably means that one will be released next year (following the pattern with Disney’s recent The Jungle Book and Star Wars: The Force Awakens). [Read on here…]

Audio on the Blu-ray will be DTS-HD Master Audio, and extras will include 4 featurettes (Notes to Self: A Director’s Diary, Making Magic, “Disappearing” Moments, and Welcome to New Zealand), audio commentary (by director David Lowery, co-writer Toby Halbrooks, and actors Oakes Fegley and Oona Laurence), 2 music videos (Nobody Knows by The Lumineers and Something Wild by Lindsey Stirling featuring Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness), and bloopers.

Here’s the other big news today: Our friends at The Criterion Collection have just announced their January Blu-ray and DVD slate, which is set to include Howard Hawks’ His Girl Friday (Cat #849 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 1/10, Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Fox and His Friends (Cat #851 – Blu-ray, DVD, and Hulu Plus) and Jack Garfein’s Something Wild (Cat #850 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 1/17, and Ousmane Sembène’s Black Girl (Cat #852 – Blu-ray and DVD) on 1/24. All are welcome additions to the Collection. His Girl Friday especially is a classic, and one of our favorites here at The Bits, so great news indeed!

Also today, Universal has set Bridget Jones’s Baby for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/13. Extras will include deleted/alternate scenes, a gag reel, and the Full Circle: The Making of Bridget Jones’s Baby featurette.

FilmRise Entertainment has set Adam Nimoy’s documentary For the Love of Spock for Blu-ray release on 12/6.

And Lionsgate has set Hell or High Water for Blu-ray and DVD release on 11/22. There’s no word yet about a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version.

On the horror front, Scream Factory has officially set David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers: Collector’s Edition for Blu-ray release on 11/15, followed by the Rabid: Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray on 11/22. Dead Ringers is a 2-disc set that includes a new 2K scan of the film at the director’s preferred aspect ratio (1.66:1), a new audio commentary with writer William Beard (author of The Artist As Monster: The Cinema of David Cronenberg), audio commentary with actor Jeremy Irons, 4 new interview featurettes (Carey’s Story with Heidi Von Palleske, Working Artist with Stephen Lack, Connecting Tissues with special effects artist Gordon Smith, and Double Vision with director of photography Peter Suschitzky), vintage interviews (with Jeremy Irons, director/co-writer David Cronenberg, producer Marc Boyman and co-writer Norman Snider), a vintage Behind the Scenes featurette, and the film’s theatrical trailer. Rabid is a single disc release and includes a new 2K scan from the negative at Cronenberg’s preferred aspect ratio (1.66:1), a new audio interview with author Jill C. Nelson (Golden Goddesses: 25 Legendary Women of Classic Erotic Cinema, 1968-1985) and Marilyn Chambers’ personal appearances manager Ken Leicht, the new Young and Rabid interview featurette with actress Susan Roman, audio commentary with writer-director David Cronenberg, audio commentary with William Beard, archival interviews with Cronenberg, executive producer Ivan Reitman, and co-producer Don Carmody, the From Stereo to Video essay featurette, the film’s theatrical trailer, a TV spot, radio spots (U.S. and U.K.), and a still gallery.

AMC and Starz have set Fear the Walking Dead: Season Two for Blu-ray and DVD release on 12/13.

The Film Detective has announced a series of new 3-disc collections, available on Blu-ray and DVD. Out now is the Roger Corman Collection (which includes A Bucket of Blood, Dementia 13, and The Terror) and coming on 11/2 is the Film Noir Collection (includes Hollow Triumph, Kansas City Confidential, and The Red House). The SRP is $29.95 for the Blu-ray version and $19.99 for the DVD.

Anchor Bay Entertainment and Dimension Films have set Army of One for release on Digital HD on 11/4, followed by the Blu-ray Combo and DVD release on 11/15.

HBO has set Vice Principals: Season One for Digital HD only release on 10/17.

And Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has set the documentary One Day Since Yesterday: Peter Bogdanovich and the Lost American Film for DVD only on 10/18.

We’ll leave you with a look at the Blu-ray cover artwork for some of the titles listed above, with Amazon.com pre-order links if available...

In announcement news today, the Warner Archive has revealed that it’s bringing Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975) to Blu-ray. The release date is TBA, but the disc will include a new HD remaster of the film, with DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, and the theatrical trailer. [Read on here…]

It’s depressing to say this, but Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just announced Sausage Party for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format on 11/8, with the digital HD release due on 11/1. Yay. Extras include a bunch of featurettes, a gag reel, etc. Not exactly the kind of title that anyone who’s a 4K fan really gets excited about, but there it is.

In other announcements, MPI Media Group has set The IT Crowd: The Complete Series for DVD release on 11/1.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has set Decommissioned for release on DVD and Digital HD on 12/6.

20th Century Fox has set Family Guy: Season Fourteen for release on DVD on 12/6. Two different covers will be available. Extras will include deleted scenes, audio commentary (on Peternormal Activity, Candy Quahog Marshmallow!, A Lot Going on Upstairs, and Peter’s Sister), The Art of Family Guy, a full episode animatic on A Lot Going on Upstairs, and a Talking Animals Mash-Up.

HBO will release Ballers: Season Two on Digital HD on 10/24.

Hutson Ranch Media and Panic Ventures have set The ID for release on Blu-ray on 10/25.

For you music fans, Eagle Rock Entertainment release Heart: Live at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on DVD, Blu-ray, CD and Digital Formats on 12/2.

In announcement news today, Marvel and Disney have finally announced the Blu-ray release of Marvel’s Daredevil: The Complete First Season on Blu-ray on 11/10 (SRP $39.99). All 13 episodes will be included, though there’s no word of any extras.

Meanwhile, Disney has also announced a Disney’s The Jungle Book 3D: Collector’s Edition for release on 11/15. The 3-disc set includes the Blu-ray 3D version of the film plus the previously-released regular Blu-ray, and DVD. The set will also include 5 new featurettes (The Bare Necessities: From the Jungle to the Bayou, The Return of a Legend, The Jungle Effect, Developing Kaa, and The Jungle Book Around the World) in addition to the previously-released features. Clearly, this is a new pattern for Disney releases, because it’s the same thing they did with Star Wars: The Force Awakens – release a regular Blu-ray and then a Collector’s Edition with Blu-ray 3D later.

Lionsgate has set The Wild Life for Blu-ray Combo, DVD, and On Demand release on 11/19, with the Digital HD release due on 11/22.

Scream Factory has just set the Poltergeist II: The Other Side – Collector’s Edition and the Poltergeist III: Collector’s Edition for release on Blu-ray on 1/24/17. Each will include brand new extras (TBA).

CBS has finally set Star Trek: The Original Series – The Roddenberry Vault for Blu-ray release on 12/13 (SRP $76.99). The 2-disc set will include 12 Original Series episodes, along with “behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the series as well as alternate takes, deleted scenes, omitted dialogue, outtakes, and original visual FX elements.”

Falco Ink has set Doctor Thorne for release on DVD on 10/18 and Digital HD on 10/17. This is a new British film from the creator of Downton Abbey.

On the catalog front, Warner has announced a new Space Jam: 20th Anniversary Edition for release on Blu-ray Combo on 11/15 (SRP $19.98). It will come in new Steelbook packaging. Extras will include audio commentary with director Joe Pytka, Bugs Bunny (voiced by Billy West), and Daffy Duck (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker), the Jammin with Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan featurette, and a pair of music videos.

Here’s something interesting: Paramount has just announced a new It’s a Wonderful Life: 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition for release on 10/11. We don’t have the SRP yet, and it doesn’t appear that the set will include any new disc-based extras. This is just a repackage with swag. You get the most recent Blu-ray version (with the original B&W and colorized version of the film), a DVD, and a set of “limited edition art cards.” Here’s what it looks like...

For you U.K. Blu-ray fans, Eureka is releasing Roxanne (1987) on Blu-ray and DVD combo (in the U.K. only) on 11/21.

First... we now know that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment plans to release War Dogs on 4K UHD BD on 11/22, but we also know (because they’ve been listed for pre-order on Amazon) that they’re also bringing Goodfellas, The Unforgiven, Sully, I Am Legend, The Town, and Argo to the format before the end of the year. Click on the title links provided to pre-order.

All right, we’ve been busy here at The Bits these last couple days. Just a quick note first: Tomorrow is my birthday, so I’m not working. I turn 49, if you can believe it, which I can’t. But that’s how these things go. In any case, to make up for it, we’ve got a bunch of good stuff for you all to enjoy today. So let’s get to it...

In announcement news today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially set DC’s Suicide Squad for release on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format on 12/13 (SRP $44.99, but Amazon has it discounted right now for just $29.99), along with the Suicide Squad: Extended Cut that same day on Blu-ray Combo, Blu-ray 3D Combo, and DVD (selling for $24.99, $29.99, and $17.95 on Amazon at the moment, respectively). Note that the 4K UHD package will include the theatrical cut on 4K but the Extended Cut on Blu-ray. Amazon also has a retailer exclusive version of the regular Blu-ray packaged with a Harley Quinn figurine and another with a Deadshot figure (SRP $116.99 for each of those). The Digital HD release is due on 11/15. Warner hasn’t yet announced what the special features might be on this release, and frankly it’s a puzzle what will be in the Extended Edition. Word is there were two versions of the film produced originally: Director David Ayer’s darker version and a more poppy and colorful version cut together by Trailer Park (which produced the film’s trailer campaign and probably the special features too). The final theatrical version – which was a hot mess – was apparently a strange hybrid of the two. So now we get a new Extended Cut. Not sure what to make of it. But I guess we’ll see. You can see the cover artwork for the Blu-ray versions here (click on each to pre-order)...

Warner has also made Constantine: The Complete Series available for release on Blu-ray Disc via the Warner Archive – it’s available now.

Also today, Universal Studios Home Entertainment has officially set Jason Bourne for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release on 12/6, with the Digital HD due on 11/15. Extras on all versions will include 2 behind-the-scenes featurettes (Bringing Back Bourne and The Athens Escape), 3 Bourne to Fight stunt featurettes (Bare-Knuckle Boxing, Close Quarters, and Underground Rumble), and 2 Las Vegas Showdown featurettes (Convention Chaos and Shutting Down the Strip). Here’s the cover artwork for that…

As you can see, Universal has also set Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 for release on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on 1/17/17. The film stars Manu Bennett and Malcolm McDowell. Extras on the Blu-ray will include 3 featurettes (The Making of 2050, Cars! Cars! Cars!, and The Look of 2050).

Meanwhile, Olive Films has set Brazil (1944) and Cheers for Miss Bishop (1940) for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/6, along with Borderless (2014) on DVD only.

PBS Distribution will release the Smithsonian Channel’s Building Star Trek documentary on DVD only on 11/1.

And Lionsgate has set Southside with You for Blu-ray and DVD release on 12/13, with the Digital HD version due on 11/19.

That’s all for now. Enjoy the reviews, have a pleasant Friday, and a great weekend. And for those of you in the Southeast who might be in the path of Hurricane Matthew over the next few days, stay safe!

Welcome to October! I’ve been gone on vacation for the past couple of weeks, but it’s good to be back. I have a lot of reviews to get in this month, including both new and older titles that we haven’t covered here previously, so be prepared for that. I also have a new bi-weekly feature at the beginning of next month, and if you’re a Scream Factory fan, you will definitely appreciate it.

And since it’s the Halloween season, I’ll be attending several theatrical events this month. This weekend we checked out Tim Burton’s latest, which is Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and anybody who follows me on Facebook knows how I felt about it... not good. Anyways, Rifftrax is doing a live riffing of Carnival of Souls later this month as well, which I’m a little torn over, but I never miss one of their shows. Also, on October 5 (Wednesday), Fathom Events is presenting Young Frankenstein in theaters for a one night event, which includes a live introduction from Mel Brooks himself. I’m also attending a marathon of all of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies on October 29 at my local Alamo Drafthouse. Needless to say, Halloween certainly keeps me busy every year.

And if you’re staying in for much of Halloween this year, then there’s plenty on TV to check out. As a matter of fact, you might want to clear your DVRs as there is a ton of Halloween programming, especially on Turner Classic Movies. They’re showing quite a range of monster movies, slashers, and everything in between. You can read all about it here.

This week I’ll be checking out several new titles from Shout! Factory, Scream Factory, Shout Select, and Lionsgate’s new Vestron Video Collector’s Series label. As usual, we’ll be rolling each review out one at a time all week, so be sure to check back for new ones.

While you’re at it, if you see something you like, why don’t you purchase it through the Amazon links that we’ve provided in each review? A portion of anything that you order from Amazon after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits, and we really do appreciate your support.

Also, for anyone who listens to my Podcast Salmonella show, I’m changing the format of it and doing something radically different with it. Previously, I would get myself and various guests on to chat about movies, music, and comic books, but I’m a little bored with the results and I thought I’d do an experiment with it and see how it turns out. Hopefully I’ll get a new episode up in the near future, but for now, you can still listen to previous episodes on both YouTube and Soundcloud.

That’s all from me for this week, so see you next time and enjoy the reviews!